The year 2018 is crucial to China’s development. It is the first year for the full implementation of the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the crucial year for securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and for implementing the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). It is also the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up policy.

Against this background, the national "Two Sessions" held last month have great significance. These important political events came under the new situation in which the people of all ethnic groups across the country are studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The "Two Sessions" completed in full success with a democratic and united, realistic and progressive approach. They are also windows to show China’s confidence in its path, theory, system and culture to the world.

Over the past five years, in the face of complex environment both at home and abroad, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has rallied and led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to forge ahead. We have moved forward in a coordinated manner with the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategies, laid out a creative new vision and new thinking as well as new strategies for China's diplomacy.

General Secretary Xi Jinping's thought on diplomacy has been formed and established, providing theoretical guidelines for China's diplomacy in the New Era, and contributes China's perspectives and wisdom for reforming and improving the global governance system. China has embarked on a road of major-country diplomacy with China’s distinct vision, style and value, which has contributed its wisdom and scheme to the reform and improvement of the international system. The proposal to foster a new type of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping has become the strongest voice to promote the development of the times.

Now, China’s diplomatic agendas for 2018 have been unfolded. We are forging ahead with the pioneering and innovative spirit in the diplomatic front to kick off efforts to implement the decisions of the 19th National Party Congress. We will host a series of diplomatic events in China such as the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Qingdao, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit, and the first China International Import Expo.

We will continue to expand China's network of global partnerships, build a framework for major-country relations of overall stability and balanced development, and forge a new form of international relations. We will continue to deepen relations with our neighbors in line with the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendship and partnership with the neighbors. We will, in keeping with the principle of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests and the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith, would like to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. We will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win to comprehensively promote the Belt and Road Initiative. We will actively explore solutions to hot issues with Chinese characteristics and play a more constructive role for world stability.

In the context of China’s diplomacy, the relationship with Pakistan has always been the priority of our neighboring diplomacy. China-Pakistan relations have grown from strength to strength. The friendship between two countries remains unbreakable all the time. In April 2015, President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to Pakistan. The leaders of the two countries agreed to upgrade China-Pakistan relationship into all-weather strategic cooperation partnership and opened a new era for China-Pakistan relationship. As an important pioneering project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has pressed ahead with remarkable results. Of the 43 early harvest projects under CPEC, a total of 22 projects are under construction or completed with a total investment of around US$19 billion. In the fields of trade and investment, science and technology, culture, education, defense, etc, the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries are also deepening. It can be said that China-Pakistan relations have become the pioneer and an important demonstration in our drive to forge the new-type international relations and a community with a shared future for neighbouring countries.

In the near future, President Mamnoon Hussain of Pakistan will attend the SCO Summit in Qingdao and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of Pakistan will attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference. We will take these opportunities to further strengthen the exchanges between the two countries and promote the construction of the CPEC and cooperation in other fields. Both countries will devote ourselves to pushing forward the China-Pakistan relations to new heights. We are confident that China-Pakistan relationship will continue to take the lead in state-to-state relationships, playing an exemplary role in the practice of building a community with a shared future for mankind.